An
article on CNN.com reports on the
discovery of the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus in the United
States. The virus, thought to come from camels, has severe symptoms and is
reported to be fatal in one third of known cases. The virus also has no
cure or vaccine. An Indiana man was the first person within the United States
to be diagnosed with the disease and, ever since this diagnosis, the Centers
for the Disease Control and Prevention has been actively pursuing every person
this man has had contact with. The article cites investigations with very detailed reports of the
man’s activities and states that health officials have tested 53 people and six
family members just because of this one man from Indiana having MERS.
The
actions of the CDC (centers for disease control) might seem overly obsessive
especially since the symptoms that any Americans have had from this virus have
been very mild. However, it gives people a strong sense of comfort that the CDC
and other health organizations are so vigilant about ensuring that seemingly
mild viruses such as MERS do not get out of hand. This vigilance is reflected
in different organizations throughout the U.S. that are devoted to maintaining
the well-being and safety of the people (i.e. Department of Homeland Security,
FBI/CIA, etc.). Part of our freedom as Americans is our safety from harm
and from the evils of the world. Though the U.S. falters sometimes in providing
us this safety it is evident that they constantly work hard to ensure it. Take,
for example, the never-ending debate over how the nations health care system
should operate or how the United States should be involved in foreign affairs.
The arguments over these topics are filled with ardor and usually anger.
However, the fact that they are arguing so passionately about these topics
shows that the government (not all of it but most of it) cares about maintaining the well-being, safety, and freedom of all of its people.
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